The Key Things WRONG With James Mangold’s ‘Logan’
“Logan” was the best Wolverine film to date, but still had its flaws.
As an avid fan of both Wolverine and Hugh Jackman’s dedication to the role, “Logan” gave us the opportunity to see both the actor and the character at their best. But while the film may have proven that Wolverine is the best at what he does, there were a few elements that left me unsatisfied.
Professor X Being Alive
The fan theory would have been more interesting…
Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart were finally able to show their range in “Logan” and I loved that. But our fan theory that many others theorized as well would have been so much more interesting. Wolverine is a loner and having Professor X being a manifestation spawned from his failing health would reinforce his solo persona and explore his own inner struggle. We could still have Professor X in the film but maintain that level of isolation that we consistently associate with Wolverine. The moments where Professor X is convincing Logan to help Laura would be a more enriching experience as we would watch change occur from the inside out. His connection with X-23 could be more organic and natural rather than his decisions being swayed by Charles.
Wolverine’s Clone AKA X-24
The clone element is something that is overused quite a bit.
The clone element is something that is overused quite a bit. No matter the media vehicle, the use of clones has become tiresome. It’s the new version of the “evil twin” scenario and while sometimes it is used creatively, a majority of the time it just seems lazy. When the final battle comes about and Wolverine faces X-24, the battle was intense but I was disappointed. There is a library of villains within the comics that could have been used, but instead we get old Wolverine versus young Wolverine. It wasn’t awful, but it sure was a disappointment.
The Adamantium Bullet
It didn’t kill Logan in “X-Men: Origins,” why should it kill his clone?
Did James Mangold forget “X-Men: Origins?” Suddenly adamantium bullets can kill Wolverine rather than just being used as the reason for his memory loss? I understand that Logan is dying and it could most likely kill him, but to just annihilate X-24 is a lackluster resolution for eliminating such a powerful enemy. This clone is of Wolverine in his prime and assumed to be the perfect version of Wolverine. There are other factors such as the caliber of the bullet (which looked larger in “Origins”), but a hole in the head is still a hole in the head. Wolverine taking a bullet to the middle of his brain in “X-Men: Origins” versus X-24 taking one and losing the side of his head is insignificant. Wolverine/Logan regenerates and that includes his brain. A little creativity could have provided an interesting way of showing how a young Wolverine could be killed. Better yet, don’t kill him but instead have the kids (aka New Mutants) use their powers collectively to permanently subdue him. Maybe seal him in concrete underground leaving him buried alive. Anything other than the adamantium bullet that we saw coming from the beginning of the film.
In Summation
“Logan” was still a great film but actors like Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart have been bound by movies that have not allowed them to reach their full potential. I’m more than happy to see a Wolverine film that surpasses the previous films, but I still believe “Logan could have been better.
